Bound in Matrimony
by Octoberose
Summary: He looked at her and realized she was the best there was. Despite how much she irritated him, she was the best- which made her the only choice. If he was going to be bound in matrimony, it might as well have been with the best. And Malfoys always had th.
1. Chapter 1

"No! No, no, NO!" he yelled as he entered the flat, his voice reverberating around the large room.

"No, what mate?" Ron asked lazily as he lounged on our living room sofa. He chooses to actually acknowledge the idiot while I did what I usually do, completely ignore the pompous git.

"They've passed it. They've actually gone and passed it!" he said angrily as he slammed down the Daily Prophet on the coffee table.

Everyone in the room tensed, knowing exactly what 'it' was.

"Impossible, when was the hearing? Why weren't we informed?" Harry exclaimed angrily. He stood up form his seat beside Ginny and snatched the paper from the table.

"Last night, according to the paper. They said that this important of an issue needed to be decided by the most credible officials in the ministry. What utter bollocks is that? The guys who voted were all old, unhappily married farts who want to make everyone else miserable too?" Draco said angrily.

"Married people aren't always miserable, Draco", Ron said as he hugged Pansy to him.

"You have to say that, your wife is right there. But I know for a fact that Pansy is a right pain in the …"

"They've totally changed the concept, too. I know were in a recession because of the war, but this is just extreme." Ginny exclaimed as she read over Harry's shoulder.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"They're auctioning off witches. Auctioning, like a slave auction! This has got to be stopped!", Ginny fumed.

I sat idly by taking it all in.

I would have to be sold off. My husband would think he can control me just because he had thrown out a few sickles for me and my freedom would officially be over. The injustice of the oppression the Ministry was forcing on women hit me full force. I could feel the blood pooling into my cheeks, and it sure as hell wasn't out of embarrassment. I could tell the others were waiting for me to blow up.

They didn't have to wait long.

"HOW IN THE BLOODY HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?" I roared loudly, hearing the clangor form my own voice echoing around the massive apartment we all shared.

The apartment was originally individual but we all had put our money together to buy three whole floors of the building and completely renovating it. We had all gotten used to living with each other for the three years of the war; and even though most of us were married off- we didn't want to separate. So we came up with the idea of living together- but comfortably.

"Hermione calm down. I'm sure there's someth…" Harry started.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? You aren't the one who is going to be forced to be sold and married some complete stranger. You aren't going to be forced to stand up on some stage while men call out prices for you. You're lucky…both of you are!" I said heatedly as glared down Harry and Ron. I notice both of them flinch and scoot a little behind their respective wives.

I couldn't fathom why I was so utterly upset. It wasn't like I hadn't heard whispers of this happening. The war that ended two years ago had left the already miniscule wizarding world completely lacking in population and funds. So some pompous idiot high up in the ministry must have come up with the 'clever' idea to create a wizarding baby boom.

"Who signed the bill?" I asked angrily- a plan was already forming in my head- the numerous ways I could make them suffer.

Ron picked up the discarded paper warily and scanned it quickly. When his eyes widened in shock, I immediately knew the answer.

"Percy. I'm going to kill that brother of yours", Malfoy stated before I had a chance to.

"I'll pop some popcorn and watch", Ginny said as she sat on the table.

"I'm going to make him a howler right now", I said determinedly as I walked towards my room.

"Granger, there is no point in that! He probably already has thousands by now." Malfoy said in that condescending tone that I loathed.

I huffed and plumped down on the couch- knowing he was right.

"Yeah, just leave the howlers to my Mum, he's going to get a good-ear bashing for this one" Ron said as he absentmindedly played with a string of Pansy's midnight locks.

"The idea of settling down petrifies me." Draco stated looking off distantly. I could tell from his facial expression that he was being totally honest.

"Mate, what is it that you have against marriage- most people look at is a beautiful and natural thing" Harry said as he hugged Ginny to him.

"Well, I don't know- maybe if I had a better idea of marriage growing up- but I guess an abusive and unfaithful father was an okay role model for the husband that I wish to portray." Malfoy sneered sarcastically.

"Draco, that's not fair. Your father is trying his hardest to…", Hermione cut in.

"To what? We still don't speak! He was never a real father to me growing up. Now he suddenly wants to be Father of the Year!" Draco bellowed.

"Okay, we get your point, but you aren't anything like how your father was back then, Draco. Plus, he's changed now for the better. Your mother and father are happy now. You can look at how your father used to treat your mother and use it as a guide on how NOT to treat your wife." Pansy said in a quiet voice.

Draco's admission had sobered everyone's agitated mood.

"Whatever. I'm already going to have to start like him, buying my wife. I'm going to go visit my Mum- I haven't seen her ages. She's bound to be happy now; she has been nagging me about making her grandchildren for years." Draco said lightening up the mood.

"I'll come with- I have to talk to her and Lucius about something anyway", I said perking up.

Ever since Draco and his parents crossed over to the light side during the war, Narcissa, Lucius, and I have been close. We started off as timid friends but when my parents were killed in a death eater attack, Lucius felt obliged to let me stay with him. Well, really it was Narcissa's doing, but that's beside the point. Narcissa became like a surrogate mother to me, I would've been lost without her. Lucius, however, was another story. He was frosty to me most of the time, but eventually he warmed up to me. Draco despised our close relationship- mostly out of weariness- I had a feeling he thought I was trying to steal his parents away from him, as juvenile as that sounded.

But then again, Draco Malfoy has always been pretty juvenile, always has been- always will be.

He made a face when I said I'd be accompanying him and I rolled my eyes. I was looking forward to seeing my shoulder to lean on, my lifeline- somehow she'd see the bright side of this…somehow.

**Author's Note: Alright, love it, hate it? Should I give it up now? I know I haven't written in ages- but this story has just been bouncing around in my head and I know it's the typical marriage law plot- but what can I say? I love pushing two people together against their iron-strength wills! I'm briefly abandoning my Australian Getaway story- I seem to have lost all inspiration for it. But I am not giving up on it completely- I'm pretty sure something brilliant will hit me but right now, anything I write for that story feels forced. So in the meantime just enjoy this one. Please review!!!!**

**Update: Okay, I have completely renovated the story. I felt it was going down a redundantly typical route, so I re-did the plot a bit. Hope you guys like the changes. So when this is validated, make sure to forget about Chapter 2, since it hasn't been edited yet.**


	2. The Manor and the Prat

I walked into manor of my youth. It wasn't exactly the same exact manor from my past. That manor had been torn down, however, the memories of the torture I had gone through living there didn't burn with it. The joy I had felt from seeing that 300 year old hell-hole burning to the ground was indescribable.

My mother and father then had spent the rest of their years rebuilding the manor- more majestic and filled with much more life.

The hallways were well-lighten; a direct contrast from the corridors of my youth. White curtains blew as light shone through the open windows.

Hermione pranced behind me, trying to keep up with my stride. And that was how it always was between us since the day we met- always competing and trying to keep up with each other.

As I quickened my stride with ease, I heard her scoff behind me. Finally, we arrived at my Mother's study- the place where she can always been found…that or her closet.

I burst through the tall wooden doors to see my mother jump up, her blonde hair shining in the light as she dropped her book.

"Draco, heavens! Don't startle me like that!"

"Have you read the papers?" I asked rather rudely. I felt bad about it three seconds after the words left my mouth.

"Of course I have…" Narcissa started.

"Can you believe it? What am I going to do?" Hermione practically yelled as she entered the room.

"Yes I can.", Narcissa said calmly.

"Why aren't you upset about this?" Hermione asked, her expression turned from raging to confused.

"Oh, dear. I am. But I have a feeling this will turn out good for the both of you", she said with a gleam in her eye.

"What is with that look mother? You know something we don't. Spill." I demanded as I sat down.

"Now, now Draco. That is no way to talk to your mother" said a deep, demure voice from the door way.

"Lucius!" Granger squealed and ran over to him. "I know _you_ can do something about this!"

"Quite the contrary. I just spoke with Kingsley and he said its too late. The Ministry will not back down. The best we can do is plan this out to our advantage.", Lucius explained.

"What advantage could possibly come out of this?", I asked angrily.

"grandchildren!" my mother exclaimed happily. Hermione and I groaned instantaneously.

"I can see where this is going. For the millionth time, there is nothing between Draco and I. Were just…associates" granger explained.

"Mmmhmm, Of course dear. Whatever you say.", my mother smirked elegantly and went back to her book. My mother had to be the only woman in the world who could pull of an elegant smirk.

"Do you have a copy of the original bill. Maybe I can find a loophole.", Granger asked.

"No, they are keeping the bill under lock and key. I don't even think Potter will be able to get a copy. Plus, Kingsley has been over the bill a thousand times and cant find one loophole. They must've hired someone more intelligent than themselves to write it. Pity, really." Lucius said as he sat down next to his wife and wrapped his arms around her.

"When will the auction take place?"

"In two weeks. The Ministry is going to have a grand Ball. Every woman is going to be required to go to St. Mungo's beforehand and get a thorough check up. They want to know your magic levels, how many sexual partners you have had, if you're in good health, your fertility rate, whether your virginity is still intact. Despicable if you ask me."

Granger looked near tears.

"I feel…tired. Can I rest here for a while?" she asked in a small voice.

"Sure dear, go up to your old room." My mother said from the couch. "It will be alright, darling. I promise." she added as Granger neared the door.

"Thank you, Narcissa", she said quietly.

I felt a tinge of pity for her. It was one thing having to buy your wife; it was another having to be put on a pedestal while men ogled you and called out prices for your hand in marriage.

"Son, is there anything that you needed?" Lucius asked me.

"No, nothing at all." I said angrily and stormed out of the room. I found myself heading in towards Granger's room.

"What is it?" she asked as she lay on the vast bed.

"Do you want to lay here and feel sorry for yourself or do you want to go and handle some business with a certain redhead who has broom stick stuck up his arse?" I asked her.

"Draco, watch your language. You aren't seriously thinking about reprimanding Percy are you?"

"I wouldn't exactly use the term 'reprimanding', but if you mean kicking his arse...yeah.."

"Draco!"

"Okay, okay! I won't hurt the squirt; I just have to speak with him."

"About what?"

"A way to get out of this, of course."

"What makes you think that he has the power to do that?" she asked.

"If he signed the bill, he can un-sign it, right?"

"You obviously never picked up a law book. Only the Minister of Magic has the power to veto it. And we both know he wont." she explained.

"Okay, but I'm still going."

"Why? I just told you…"

"For therapeutic reasons. I'll feel better about myself if I kick his arse. Or at least scare him a bit." I smirked as she rolled her eyes.

"Im coming just to make sure you don't kill him." She groaned as she got up from the bed.

I waited at the door for Granger then went to the nearest floo- fireplace.

I grabbed some of the gray powder quickly, rudely sidestepped Granger, and threw it to down.

"Percy Weasley's Office, Ministry of Magic!"

The green flames enveloped me and the next thing I knew I was in Percy's office. It was a medium sized room with stacks of papers on his desk- all managed neatly. He had exactly three quills laid out in perfect order from small tip to big tip. On the walls were Percy's awards and Hogwarts diploma arranged in a straight line. There was a little golden name plaque on his desk- looking newly shined. The office was as uptight and prim as he was. But he wasn't in there- I decided it was better that way- so went behind his desk and sat in his seat…this will tick him off!

After a few minutes, Hermione flooed in.

"Why are you in his chair, you idiot? That'll just upset him." Granger said while crossing her arms.

"Frankly, Granger, I could care less if the git gets upset." I said leaning back in the big chair.

Granger burst into giggles. She took one look at my expression and felt the need to explain herself. "the git gets…", she said in between her giggles. I rolled my eyes and sat back in the chair.

"You get more idiotic everyday, Granger."

Granger just huffed and sat down in one of the visitor's chairs.

After five minutes of awkward silence and glares from across the table, Percy came in looking tired, and hassled.

"Oh no, not you two too!" he said when he realized we were in the office.

"Yes, us two! Percy how could you sign that?" Hermione said in her motherly, admonishing tone.

"I didn't know…they don't usually give me important papers- so I just sign them and be on my way. They sort of just threw that into the pile and never explained what it was! I think they wanted one of the war hero's signatures on it and I was the easiest target." he said in a hurry.

I felt sort of bad for the spineless prat so I got up out his chair.

"Is there anyway out of it?"

"Not really. After I realized what I had signed, I went back and read the entire bill over. They've sealed up any loopholes. They are arranging the auction by the less known and liked witches, to the beautiful well-known witches. And if you don't bid for or auction yourself off, you are to banned from the wizarding world. " Percy said while plopping down and rubbing his temples.

"What if you say you're gay?" I asked abruptly.

Hermione and Percy both gave me the same look.

"Scratch that."

Granger rolled her bright brown eyes and looked back to Percy.

"What do you mean arranging?"

"Don't worry about it Granger, I'm pretty sure no ones gonna bid for you."

Granger opened her mouth to retort but Percy spoke up for her.

"I seriously beg to differ, Draco. I overheard the Minister saying she would be the Grand Prize of the Ball. He might even try to use her for promotional reasons." Percy said seriously.

"What do you mean promotional reasons? Shouldn't he be using some model? I'm just a war hero. Why would he want to use me?" she asked genuinely confused.

I laughed inwardly at her ignorance. She, as much as I hated to admit it, was beautiful…sexy even. Pair that with the fact that's she a war hero and one of the most brilliant and caring women in the world- well you get genuinely perfect.

And that's when it hit me-as much as she annoys me, as much as we argue- she was the best there was. And Malfoys always had the best.

"Well?" she asked annoyed at our silence.

"Well you're pretty", Percy began. I snorted. Granger turned red.

"We get it Malfoy- you think I'm ugly, you don't have to rub it in every time someone brings up my looks."

"Granger, Granger, Granger…always leaping to conclusions- I was snorting because 'pretty' is an incredible understatement", I said seriously.

She looked shocked and flattered at the same time.

"What do you mean?" she asked suspiciously.

"Are you telling me you don't notice the stares you get from men when you walk into a room, teenage boys go red around you,….are you still not getting it?"

"I…I just thought it was because I was a war hero".

"A fraction of it is but it's mostly because you're gorgeous. But then you have to go and open that big mouth of yours and ruin it.", I said while smirking.

Her blushing face turned into a scowl.

"Like the world doesn't feel the same about you, Malfoy." She said with her hands on her hips.

"Maybe. I've turned more than a few heads in my day", I said while smirking. Granger rolled her eyes and looked to Percy.

"And turned more than a few girls away with your arrogance." She said under her breath.

"Your modesty knocks me off my feet, Draco", Percy said.

"I know, right?" I said confidently.

"Are you absolutely sure- there is no teeny tiny loophole- nothing at all?" she asked hopefully.

"None. I'm sorry, Hermione. I know this doesn't really affect me- but I feel for you." Percy said tensely. He had married Millicent Bulstrode last year.

Hermione looked near tears.

"So, this is for real. I actually have to sell myself. And somehow fall in love with a man that paid for me.", she said in a weak voice.

"No one said you had to fall in love, Hermione." Percy said with a sympathetic tone.

"Even better. I have to be bound in a loveless marriage." She said sadly.

"Yeah, even better", I said- thinking of my parent's loveless marriage. I decided right there that there was no way I was going to be the type of husband my father was…now I just had to convince Hermione of that.

**Author's Note: I know! I know! It takes months for me to add chapters, but I have been at math camp for the past six weeks and been really preoccupied. But now I'm back and promising never to keep everyone waiting for so long for new chapters. This wasn't exactly my favorite chapter but then again…I never like anything I write. So R&R and be brutal!!!! It builds character :)**


	3. Chapter 3

"What do you mean, take off my clothes. Shouldn't you be able to just wave your wand and find out all about me?" I asked angrily as I stood awkwardly in the stale, clean hospital room.

"Darling, we have to check for everything. And in order to do that, I need you to take off your clothes." the healer said genially. Her being amicable made me even more annoyed.

Id rather she be a bitch to me, then I'd have a reason to bitchy to her. I knew I couldn't take it out on her; she wasn't the one who came up with this ridiculous law.

"May I at least get a patient gown?" I asked. She smiled and handed me a dreadful, lime green gown then left the room to give me privacy.

I sighed tiredly and stripped. As I gazed at my naked body in the mirror, I noticed the changes in my body I had never thought to acknowledge before. My legs were longer, and my breasts were a bit fuller. My stomach had a slight pudge, but nothing terribly noticeable. It was probably from eating sweets while working as an Unspeakable in the Space Chamber of the Department of Mysteries. Reconstructing Pluto had been hell, and it left no time to eat properly everyday. All in all, I was satisfied with my 5'8 form.

When someone knocked on the door, I snapped out of my appraisal and immediately pulled on the uncomfortable paper gown.

"Come in!" I called, and turned swiftly from the mirror.

"Already dear? Now, please lie down on the bed so I can check your vitals, weight, and height." she instructed as she led me to the bed.

_Let the poking and prodding begin._

After twenty minutes of being poked, prodded, and scanned; I was finally able to leave St. Mungo's. It turned out that I have no health problems currently, but I might have to watch out because apparently my family history is working against me. My kidneys are in top condition, probably due to the fact that I'm always the designated apparatator whenever my friends and I go out. I was very fertile, which was a shocker seeing as my parents had tried everything in the book to get pregnant with me. The _most shocking_ was that they informed me that I was virgin. The latter being something I already knew and kept secret from my friends. Not that I'm ashamed to be a virgin at 22 but it was something I was saving for a man I loved. And now it would go to the highest bidder.

Sighing, I apparated to Diagon Alley to meet up with Ginny and Pansy. We were to go shopping for our gowns.

"Finally! How was the appraisal?" Ginny asked immediately as I appeared in front of Fred and George's shop.

"How do you think it was? It was humiliating and I shudder to think about what they're gonna print under my name in the Ball program. Hermione Granger: 5'8, 125 pounds, very fertile, war hero, virgin. Ugh!" I exclaimed.

"Wait, you're a virgin? But all those guys…" Pansy started.

"It never went past snogging." I explained as we entered the shop.

"I feel for you, girl. Bloody hell, you're auctioning off your virginity." Ginny exclaimed loudly as we headed towards the gown sections.

"Nice, Gin. Announce it to the world. I think the guys in the States didn't hear you; you should give them a chance to log onto Hermione's EBay page too", Pansy chastised lightly to our mirth. Pansy's dry humor could always bring a smile to my face.

"Hello, ladies. Welcome to _Enchanted_. How can I help you?" the shop assistant asked.

"We're looking for ball gowns. Preferably very ugly ones." I said to her. She grinned, getting the joke.

"So is everyone else. Unfortunately, our expertise tends to lean more on merchandizing attractive clothes. For dowdy or gaudy clothing you might want to head over to _Bewitched_ on Second Street. But if your plan is to not get bided for, you're going to need more than an ugly dress. You're not exactly unattractive." she said as she led us to the dress section.

"You're right. Maybe I should get my buck teeth back." I said thoughtfully as the girls giggled.

"Hermione, you're gonna be gorgeous no matter what you do. You might as well dress beautifully. Really, how many times out of the year do you get to come out of your hole in the Ministry of Magic and dress up?" Pansy said as she picked up a lilac princess style dress.

I sighed and headed towards the black dresses. I was looking at the ball as my freedom's funeral. Therefore, black would be fitting.

"Hermione, you seriously are going to wear black? Come on, have at least a little color, how about this blue dress." Ginny suggested, holding out a couture, powder blue strapless A-line dress.

"No, I want dark colors. This is a tragic situation, and I want my dress to reflect that." I said as I hung up the powder blue dress.

"I've found mine!" Ginny exclaimed while holding up a gold halter style gown that complemented her auburn hair, ivory skin, golden undertones, and hazel eyes.

"It's beautiful, Gin. Really." I admitted, breaking out of my murky mood for a minute.

"Yeah and it doesn't clash with your hair. So kudos." Pansy said as she held up a red dress. "But what about this for me?"

"You always wear blood red! Just because you are dating a Gryffindor doesn't mean you have to wear red all of the bloody time!" Ginny giggled as she threw Pansy a sapphire strapless dress with intricate beadwork and dangerously low front. It was over the top, like Pansy, but ostentatiously so.

"Oh, this may work. It will bring out my eyes!" Pansy exclaimed as she held the dress up to her.

"Great, now everyone's found their dress but me.", I stated irritably. I wasn't the shopping type.

"I think I have the perfect dress for you, dear. Wait a minute." the shopkeeper said as she disappeared into the storage room of the shop.

She came back out with a navy dress.

"Try it on, dear. It looks like its perfect for your body type." She said as she handed me the dark navy dress.

I shrugged and went into the changing room. The first thing I noticed that it was skin tight, and that it had long sleeves. The front was completely covered but my back felt bare. As I zipped up the dress, I examined my back in the mirror, and found it to be dangerously low, but it fit my figure like a glove. This was a dress that would hide nothing, and under garments were out of the question. It was a perfect balance of skin and clothing; a hybrid of sexy and elegant. It also gave me an air of being in control of my body, of being feminine and strong. In other terms, it was perfect.

As I stepped out of the dressing room, I could tell by the girl's gasps that they agreed with me.

"I'll take it!" I said, with a smile.

~*~

"So, everyone. The reason we gathered everyone was to announce that we're pregnant", Ginny proclaimed beside Harry as she stood in front of the Weasley family picnic. Molly immediately cheered, and then proceeded to spontaneously combusting into tears.

"Oh, my baby! My baby is having a baby!", she gushed in between sobs. Arthur had a giddy smile on his face as he tried in vain to calm his emotional wife down.

"How far along are you?" I asked cheerfully, as I stood to hug Ginny.

"Three months. I didn't notice at first because my period is pretty irregular." Ginny explained to the male's horror. All of them simultaneously groaned.

"Oh grow up!" I admonished over my shoulder.

"Congratulations mate! You do realize your life is pretty much over now, right?" Malfoy said as he slapped Harry's back.

"That is not true, Harry. Don't listen to that pompous idiot." I called from across the table. "A year from now, Malfoy, you might be making the same announcement with some tall, leggy Russia born blonde with an IQ around her shoe size." I added while smirking.

"Are you forgetting that you're going to be in the same boat a year from now, except you'll actually be carrying the child?" he retorted. U rolled my eyes and launched back into conversation with Ginny, trying to ignore the truth in Malfoy's words.

A year from now I might be carrying some stranger's baby. A year from now, I could already have a child. I couldn't even picture it. Me as a mother was a foreign concept; one that I didn't want to dwell on. So for the rest of the day I tried my damndest not to.

It was easy to ignore that nagging voice in the back of my head while laughing at the twin's jokes, and asking Bill about the latest charm developments at Gringott's Bank.

When I was alone, however, Malfoy's voice kept reverberating through my head. And it was impossible to ignore. Only when I closed my eyes that night, was I finally able to not dwell on it.

That morning I had a stirring thought; an epiphany of sorts.

The Auction was in five days, three hours, and twenty six seconds. I had only five days to appreciate being in control of my own life until it was sold by the Ministry. And I wasn't gonna let worries about the future ruin it. I was going to spend my last five days being the happiest Hermione Granger I could be.

Unfortunately, Malfoy seemed determined to ruin said epiphany when he burst into my room bearing the worst news I could possibly hear at that moment.

"My father's has had a heart attack. He's at St. Mungo's now." he announced somberly.

Successfully putting an end to my sunny morning and sending me into a heart wrenching shock.


End file.
